Eines Atems Ein'ger Bund
by Nils Jansen
Summary: Post-episode story for "One Breath." Mulder begins to recover from recent events, with an unanticipated visitor guiding him to confront some surprises about himself.
1. Frisch Weht Der Wind

_**Isolde**__  
The sun lies hidden in our breast,  
stars of bliss shine smiling._

_**Tristan  
**__Gently enfolded in your spell,  
sweetly melting before your eyes..._

_**Isolde  
**__heart to heart,  
lip to lip..._

_**Tristan  
**__bound together  
in one breath..._

_**Both  
**__my eyes grow dim,  
blinded with ecstasy,  
the world and its vanities fade away..._

**Act II, Scene II  
**_**Tristan und Isolde**_**  
Libretto and music by Richard Wagner**

* * *

**Washington, D.C.  
November 11, 1994  
6:35 P.M.**

For the second time in roughly the same number of days, a slim red-headed woman walked down the fourth floor hallway of an ancient apartment building. Finding the door of apartment number 42, she stopped and turned to knock. Muffled sounds coming from inside the apartment made her hesitate. Putting her ear to the door, the woman heard somewhat exaggerated moans and screams of pleasure coming from a man and woman, accompanied by a quasi-Jazz piece that consisted of a saxophone and electric guitar. _He couldn't be..._ she thought. She soon realized that the sounds were too tinny to indicate any real activity between two people. With a devilish smile, she decided to knock on the door.

"Who's it?" a man called from inside the apartment, his voice cracking.

"Scully," the woman replied.

The tinny-sounding man and woman stopped in mid-moan, as did the musical accompaniment. "I'll be there in a minute." Within that time, the woman could hear some footfalls, a rattling belt buckle, and the mechanations of a VCR ejecting a tape before Fox Mulder opened the door. "Hey, Scul..." He stopped mid-greeting, looking into the woman's bright blue eyes. "Melissa?"

"You disappointed?" Melissa asked.

"No, no. Just wishful thinking, I guess. How is she?"

"Dana's been better, but still recovering." Melissa peered into the doorway, looking over the damage done by the men who also brought harm to her sister.

Mulder looked back into his apartment. "They got it pretty bad."

"So, aren't you going to invite me in?"

"Oh. Sure." Mulder stepped back, letting Melissa through the doorway. "Sorry about the mess. I've also got some mildew. Nothing a little Lysol can't clean. What brings you here, anyway?"

Melissa started looking around Mulder's apartment. "Just to tell you that Dana's okay, see how you're doing."

"I'm fine."

Melissa nodded. Moving next to the television, she continued to survey Mulder's domicile. "I would like to help you cleanse your home, too."

"I say 'clean,' you say 'cleanse.'" Mulder contemplated the difference for a moment. "Is this some New Age thing?"

"If you want to call it that, yes. But a 'New Age thing' might make this place feel like a home again."

Mulder shrugged. "This is just a place for me to crash. If I had my way, I'd save my money and stay in the office. It just doesn't have a shower or a sofa to sleep on."

"Or a VCR," Melissa added.

Mulder looked away from Melissa.

He felt her touch his left arm.

"Fox. Look, I didnt't mean that." Mulder turned around. "I haven't kept in touch with my family much the past few years. I thought they had issues with me, but I think some of it was on my side." Melissa sighed. "With my father's death several months ago, and Dana coming close to death herself, I realized that I had to at least start making peace with my family."

"_Détente_ works better for some families," Mulder commented.

"You've already met Mom a few times, but I don't know how much Dana has told you about the rest of us. From what she has told me, I can tell that Dana has a great deal of respect for, and trust in, you. When you decided not to seek revenge against the men who harmed her, you further affirmed her trust by just coming to her side. She hasn't said it, but to me it shows that you found Dana more important than them. I think that's what brought her back to us, and that's what has given me a chance to start reconnecting with my little sister." Melissa grabbed Mulder's right hand. "That's why I'm here. To thank you for what you did..." Melissa paused a few moments before adding, "As a friend."

As Mulder's eyes drooped, his mouth formed a slight smile. "I want to believe that I helped."

"I know you did." Melissa squeezed Mulder's hand three times and let go. "Have you eaten yet?"

"Oh, I was gonna have a TV dinner. Hungry Man meal."

"Is that what you really want?"

Mulder gave Melissa a quizzical expression. "Well, I'm a hungry man."

"And what's a hungry woman to eat?"

"Uhhh... Hungry Woman meal?"

"I don't think they make those. I do know of a good restaurant we could go to, just a few blocks from here. My treat."

"Melissa. You don't have to..."

"Please accept it as a gift, Fox."

"What about the... cleansing?"

"We can do that later. I'll need to get a few things beforehand, though."

Mulder removed a black pea coat from his coat closet and put it on. "Where are we going, anyway?"

"Namasté."

"I don't think I've heard of it."

Walking out the door, Melissa said, "Vegetarian restaurant. No Hungry Man meals there."

"I had my heart set on Salisbury steak."

"Keep setting your heart on Salisbury steak, and it'll get clogged with the fat of dead animals."

Mulder smiled, recognizing the same tone from one of Scully's more sardonic moments. Closing the door to his apartment and locking it, he said. "I think I know what I want already." Mulder and Melissa started walking down the hall.

"But you've never heard of the restaurant."

"'I'm gonna have the alfalfa sprouts and a plate of mashed yeast.'"

Melissa lowered her head and let out a small chuckle. "I have fond memories of that movie. It was one of the first ones I saw when my parents let me start dating. I didn't get all the humor at the time, though."

"Neurotic man gets together with quirky, pretty woman, they have some good times, and then they drift apart. Kinda like life. A little sad, a little funny."

Melissa pushed the down button when they reached the elevator. "Seriously, though, Namasté has less ascetic fare than that restaurant. It has a range of Asian-inspired dishes."

"Alfalfa sprouts in sweet and sour sauce?"

The elevator doors opened. "It's actually more Indian than anything else."


	2. The Spiral

**Warning: The following chapter contains explicit lyrics from nine inch nails' "Closer." Nothing within the dialogue, however.**

After walking a block from Mulder's apartment building, a "Don't Walk" sign detained him and Melissa. "We're gonna run into every one of these on the way there, and in this weather," Mulder commented, the chill wind blowing against him and Melissa.

A distant rhythmic thumping noise emerged from a few blocks away.

"I thought FBI agents were supposed to be tougher than that."

"Yeah, when we have to be. But right now, it's just borrowing trouble."

A faint mechanistic sound accompanied the thumping. It sounded like a sharp machine component that had gotten stuck in a dangerous repetitive mode, poised to pierce the flesh of anyone standing nearby whenever it exploded. A guttural, almost organic melody emerged alongside the rest. Mulder and Melissa turned around to see the source, a large Oldsmobile approaching the corner with its windows down.

Mulder looked back in the direction he and Melissa were walking. "Speaking of borrowing trouble, let's just pretend we don't see or hear this guy." As Melissa nodded, Mulder realized that she would be closer to the car. "Get to my right..." he started suddenly.

"I'll be fine here."

Mulder's voice started to betray panic. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"I won't," Melissa replied. Nodding slightly to the car, she added, "But he already is."

Mulder subtly turned to see a pale young man with dyed long black hair. He was staring straight ahead, his eyes possibly glazed over.

The sound of another man's tortured voice appeared, accompanied by an ethereal synthesized chorus:

_You can have my isolation  
You can have the hate that it brings  
You can have my absence of faith  
You can have my everything_

The man noticed Mulder and Melissa, and turned to look at them. A distant chorus chanting "Help me" preceded each of the following three lines:

_You tear down my reason  
It's your sex I can smell  
You make me perfect_

Melissa turned to look at the car. She noticed tears flowing down the driver's cheeks.

_Help me think I'm somebody else  
I wanna fuck you like an animal  
I wanna feel you from the inside_

The light turned green for Mulder, Melissa, and the Oldsmobile, which sped away from them.

_I wanna fuck you like an animal  
My whole existence is flawed  
You get me closer to God_

The thumping Mulder and Melissa heard initially reappeared, but began to fade as the car progressed down the block. "That could have been close," Mulder said as they started crossing the street.

"He was crying."

Mulder turned to Melissa, surprised. "You actually looked at him? He could have hurt you. Or both of us."

"What, because he was listening to that music? Hitler listened to opera, supposedly the most civilized form of music, and he killed millions."

"And Charles Manson thought that the Beatles predicted a race war. I'd take my chances with someone listening to 'Helter Skelter' over... _that_."

Melissa smiled at him. "Maybe you're just getting old."

"I'm not getting old."

"It's a state of mind, anyway. Besides, what did you listen to when you were a teenager?"

"Alice Cooper, Ozzy. But that was before I matured and got into Punk. And I didn't blast it from my car stereo."

"Remember how it was all supposedly music of the Devil? And see how you turned out." Melissa paused. "Besides, as you know from your work at the FBI, the real evils of this world are well-hidden... behind the teenagers and 'devil music' they use as scapegoats."

"What has your sister told you?"

"Dana just came out of a coma, and we have been too busy catching up on the past few years. All I know is that someone wanted to hurt both of you."

"I could have easily sought justice for what they did to Scully."

"As an FBI agent, you should know the difference between justice and vengeance." They arrived at another street corner, detained by a new "Don't Walk" sign. Instead of stopping, Melissa turned the corner. "Namasté is just down here."

Following Melissa, Mulder turned the corner as well. "I know the difference between justice and vengeance. More so than they do."

"With your relativistic rationalization, you don't give yourself enough credit. I saw the caring Fox Mulder at the hospital when Dana returned to us. The one Dana has told me about. Not the angry and desperate man who was seeking revenge just a few days ago. I can only hope that what happened has made those differences clear to you, especially if they ever try harming you or Dana again. That you have learned the essential futility of playing some petty game of vengeance, rather than doing what you really need to do."

Mulder remembered his encounter earlier in the week with the shadowy "Cancer Man," sitting in his dingy apartment with a half-empty bottle of beer and an old movie with its antiseptic rendition of war. The words Cancer Man spoke in his mellifluous, smoke-hued voice returned to the agent's mind.

_I have more respect for you, Mulder. You're becoming a player._

Contemplating the state in which he found his seemingly omnipotent nemesis, as well as how close he came to putting a hole in the Cancer Man's forehead, Mulder shook his head. "I don't want to become like them, Melissa. I _can't_ become like them."

Sensing the fear in Mulder's voice, Melissa turned to him and clasped both his hands. "Then please remember, if you end up dealing with these people again, forget about seeking revenge. Instead, think about all the other the people you care about. Think of how you feel about Dana."

With some surprise, Mulder asked, "What's all that supposed to mean?"

"Probably not what you think."


	3. Namaste

Enveloped by the warmth, dimmed lights, and delightfully heavy scent of diverse spices, Mulder and Melissa settled at a table at Namasté. A CD of ragas played in the background. "I can't believe you've never eaten here," Melissa said, looking around.

Staring at the menu, Mulder replied, "Not much time in my line of work."

"Dana told me how driven you are by your work. Not that she's a slacker, by any means. But Dana is driven by professionalism."

"Well, so am I."

"The difference is that she knows when to stop. And that's with the 'old boys' club' that probably still infests the FBI." Leaning in towards Mulder, Melissa added, "There has to be something more with you, though. What is it that drives _you_?"

"I want to bring those people to justice."

"You're looking for someone."

Mulder looked up from his menu. "Yeah. The bastards that harmed Scully." He paused. "I'm sorry. Your younger sister."

"Your younger sister," Melissa repeated. "You're making progress."

"What are you, reading my aura?"

Melissa smiled. "I can accept that."

As Mulder looked at Melissa blankly, a middle-aged man in a white shirt and dark pants walked up to the table with a notepad. "Melissa!" he said. "Good to see you again!"

Getting up from the table, Melissa gave the man a hug. "Good to see you too, Ramesh."

"Your sister. Any news?"

"She's recovering."

"So glad they found her, and that she's getting better. I'll keep sending my prayers for her."

"Thank you," Melissa replied.

Ramesh turned to Mulder, then back to Melissa. "Things seem to be looking up. Who's that with you? New boyfriend?"

Melissa smiled somewhat sheepishly as she turned to Mulder. "A friend of the family's." Turning back to Ramesh, she added, "He works with Dana, too."

Mulder got up. "Fox Mulder," he said, extending his hand.

"Ramesh Mehta," the man replied, shaking Mulder's hand. "I own this establishment."

"As owner of this establishment, Mr. Mehta, what do you recommend?"

"Please," he replied. "Call me Ramesh. Any friend of Melissa's is a friend of mine."

"All right, Ramesh. What do you recommend?"

"Everything on the menu."

Mulder nodded with a slight smile. "Can I get an unbiased opinion here?"

"Perhaps your lovely companion can recommend something."

"I'll work on him," Melissa commented.

"Would you like some drinks?" Ramesh asked.

"Water with lemon," Mulder said.

Writing on his pad, Ramesh turned to Melissa. "Jasmine tea."

"Hot, of course?" Ramesh asked.

"Yes."

"I will bring those straight away, then." Before starting back to the kitchen, Ramesh placed a hand on Mulder's shoulder. "Good to meet you, Mr. Fox."

"It's Mulder," Melissa said.

Turning back to Melissa, Ramesh smiled. "I know." After patting Mulder's shoulder a few times, he walked towards the kitchen.

"You that much of a regular here?" Mulder asked Melissa.

"I come here at least once every week."

Lifting up his menu, Mulder asked, "So, can you get Ramesh to make my dish less spicy?"

"Not all the dishes here are that way."

"What do you recommend?"

"The veg vindaloo. Being a meat-and-potatoes man, you'd probably appreciate a dish with potatoes."

"Are the potatoes chopped up?" Mulder asked, looking for it on the menu.

"They're small ones."

Upon finding the veg vindaloo, he noticed three peppers following the name. "That's the hottest thing here, Melissa."

Smiling, she said, "That's a matter of opinion. But I think Ramesh can get them to make it special for you."

Mulder nodded. "Four peppers?"

"So, you're like that off the job, too?"

"Like what?"

"Dana told me that you always make some dryly funny comments whenever you're on a case."

"Keep watching, and I might also do a trick."

"I guess it's a good defense mechanism."

"Defense? Against what?"

"Getting too emotionally involved in a case. Maybe to keep from opening up."

Mulder set down his menu. "I'm pretty open to things. That's why I investigate these... special cases, with your sister."

Melissa's eyes focused on Mulder. "There's still something closed off about you, though. I don't think you know what it took for me to get you to come see Dana, and to let go of what you were going to do instead."

"I know that you visited my apartment and told me what I should do. It just took me a while to decide that I should try what you suggested."

"With the rage and grief you had, with the place you were in, you needed a little extra help to find your innermost intention."

Mulder cocked his head. "I don't understand."

"I think you do, Fox. You just have a hard time believing that aspects of the unexplained can be positive."

Ramesh reappeared with drinks. "Here you are." Turning to Melissa, he said, "Jasmine tea for the lovely lady."

"Thank you."

"And for the gentleman, a water with lemon."

"I'm no gentleman, but thanks," Mulder said.

"I'm sure Melissa would only be seen with a gentleman, even if he sees himself otherwise," Ramesh said.

"Well, that wasn't always true," Melissa commented. Turning to Mulder, she added, "Dana could attest to that if you ask her."

With pen and paper at the ready, Ramesh asked, "So, have we decided?"

"I'll have the aloo gobi," Melissa said.

Ramesh scribbled on the pad, then turned to Mulder. "And for you, sir?"

"The veg vindaloo." Leaning towards Ramesh, Mulder added, "The lovely lady says that you can make it less spicy."

"Of course. But, on one condition."

"What's that?"

"That you acknowledge your gentlemanly ways."

Mulder turned to Melissa, who was smiling at him as she nodded her head. "Well, I guess I could, just so I don't run up your water bill."

"Milk's actually better for that." Ramesh jotted something on the pad. "Some bread?"

"Garlic naan," Melissa said.

"Very good. Anything else?"

Mulder put his hands up. "It all sounds good."

"All right, then. We'll get it to you as soon as we can."

"Thank you," Melissa said as Ramesh walked back to the kitchen.

"It's really too bad your sister can't be here with us. But, I guess that's what brought us here."

"It is amazing how the universe works, and how people are unaware of the forces at work in their lives." Melissa paused for a few moments. "You might find this difficult to believe, Fox, but I think that Dana has psychic abilities."

Mulder smiled. "Psychic? Now, that's funny. She's the last person I'd think of as a psychic, or at least claiming to be one."

"That's because she tells herself she isn't."

"I've never heard her talking to herself."

"What I mean is, Dana's afraid to admit to herself that she might have such powers. Anyway, you study things that can't be explained by conventional science."

"Yes, but that doesn't mean I buy into every UFO and Bigfoot sighting I see on the cover of _World Weekly News_. What makes you think she's psychic, anyway?"

"I remember, back when she was about 15, she had a series of nightmares. All about the same girl."

"What's so unusual about that?"

"At least since she was about nine, Dana didn't tell anyone about her dreams. Suddenly, after many years, she started confiding in me about these nightmares. How they were more vivid than any dream she had until that time, and how upset they made her."

"What was happening in them?"

"She told me that these men were doing horrible things to this girl, who was about Dana's age. Experiments where she would scream in pain and cry, begging to go home."

"Experiments?" Thinking about what Scully might have experienced while she was missing, Mulder asked, "Are you implying that she predicted what happened to her, with this girl in her dream as some kind of proxy?"

"Dana described the girl to me. She remembered that the girl had long dark hair and hazel eyes."

"Did the dreams stop?"

"They did. The final dream, or the last one she told me about, was very different from all the others."

"What happened in that one?"

"It was the only dream where the girl wasn't being experimented on, and where she actually spoke to Dana. She was in a forest, wearing a long white nightgown. Dana said that the girl noticed her for the first time in any of the dreams and smiled. She walked up to Dana, took her hands, and said something like, 'Please tell Reinhardt I'm okay.' After that, she turned around and walked several feet before disappearing into thin air."

"Did she know anyone named Reinhardt?"

"No, and there were no missing children cases where we were at the time. At least not with anyone matching the girl's description."

"She was 15... that would make it 1979, right? About a year after John Wayne Gacy was arrested. What time of the year did she have the dreams?"

"In the Fall."

"That was also around the time when the Atlanta Child Murders started occurring." Looking out the window, Mulder added, "But the victims in those cases were all boys."

"It had to be something else," Melissa said. "Especially with how those dreams affected Dana. For the first time in many years, she slept with the lights on. She wouldn't admit it to me, but when I would sneak home late some nights, I would see the light through the crack under her door."

Mulder squinted his eyes. "I just wonder..."

"What is it?"

Closing his eyes, Mulder shook his head as if physically removing a thought. Smiling uneasily, he added, "Just some wishful thinking on my part."

"What?"

"Something I want to believe. But I do know that poltergeist activity can be very high around adolescents..."

"What do you want to believe?"

Mulder turned towards the kitchen. "It's very personal. I don't know if your sister has told you yet. But it's like we were talking about earlier. I suppose there is someone I'm looking for, and your sister keeps reminding me of that when we go on missing persons cases."

"Who?"

Turning back to Melissa and looking into her eyes, he said, "We share something in common, Melissa. Only in your case, you got good news." After a pause, he added. "Actually, we both got good news in this case."

"What happened with you?"

"One night, when I was about 12 years old, my parents had gone somewhere. I was at home watching my sister. She was eight at the time. Without going into the details, she was abducted. I couldn't do anything but watch."

Melissa sat upright, a look of surprise overtaking her face. "Oh, Fox." She blinked. "Fox. I'm so sorry." She leaned in towards the table, reaching across to grab his hands. "I can't imagine what it must have felt like."

Mulder pulled back slightly, surprised by Melissa's gesture. "It felt like it was my fault."

"Did your parents blame you for it?"

"They never said anything, one way or the other."

"And no one knows anything, even after all this time?"

"I suspect that some very powerful people know what happened to her, and what happened to your sister, too."

Looking confused, Melissa asked, "But how? Why?"

"That's what I've been trying to find out all these years. And as we got closer to the truth, I ended up placing your sister in danger."

"But it isn't your fault, Fox. Neither was what happened to your sister... What's her name?"

"Samantha."

"Samantha. But at least Dana's back."

"For now. But whoever took her might come back for her again."

"Then why would they have returned her?"

Mulder shook his head. "It's a pattern in some of the cases I investigate. My theories are way out there, Melissa. I can't go into detail about them because they sound too strange."

"But what about my beliefs? You think they're nothing more than New Age platitudes."

"We're talking about two types of unexplained phenomena. What you believe in is more incorporeal. In my case, I have obtained solid evidence for unexplained phenomena, which has promptly disappeared."

"What kinds of things are you talking about?"

"The existence of extraterrestrial life, which ties in with your sister's abduction."

Mulder noticed Melissa's eyebrows incline towards her nose. "What?" Mulder asked, his eyes filled with confusion. "Look, I'm sorry if you don't believe that. But..."

"Samantha."

"Melissa, we already discussed that."

"Why can't you say my sister's name? At least once?"

"Well, I wasn't really thinking about it. We have a professional relationship, and..."

"So, working with someone is a reason you don't refer to them by their first name?"

"It's what I'm used to." Mulder paused. "I've referred to her as Dana maybe a few times. Once after your father passed away."

Melissa nodded. "And what made you do that?"

"It seemed appropriate under the circumstances."

"You could have just called her 'Scully.'"

"It didn't seem right."

Melissa stared at Mulder for a few moments. "For a psychologist who investigates the unknown and the unacknowledged, you still seem oblivious to your feelings about Dana."

Mulder's heart skipped. "What are you saying?"

"I think you care for her a lot more deeply than you realize."

Mulder turned towards the wall. "For the past few years, we have been through a lot. When she was partnered with me, I thought that she was going to do her best to discredit my work. She mercilessly questioned my findings when we were on some cases. And yet, she stayed on. Even if she didn't agree with my theories, she would at least validate the enigmatic nature of the evidence we found on those cases. Knowing her skeptical nature, it just amazes me to think that she would do that, putting her life and career in danger." Turning back to Melissa, he added, "No one has ever put themselves on the line for me. Certainly not at the same level she has."

"It doesn't surprise me, Fox. Yes, Dana doesn't engage in speculation. But, more importantly, she also has integrity. She wasn't a goody-two-shoes, but I remember that Dana would find it very hard to lie, or to stay quiet about injustices whenever she found out about them." Looking down, Melissa added, "I remember, Bill Junior and me locked our little brother Charlie in a closet when our parents were away. Dana saw it, and we told her to keep quiet. She wasn't, and Bill and me were grounded for a week." Melissa looked back at Mulder. "Next time Mom and Dad weren't around, we made sure she got hers. Even worse than Charlie. We locked her in with Bill's pet rat."

"_You_ did something like that?"

"That was 20 years ago, and I was starting to get tired of the good Catholic girl thing."

"And you never went back?"

"I guess I went back through other means, when I learned that being good meant a lot more than doing something without getting caught. But, I still have work to do. I know I'm still bad in other ways."

"Oh, really?" Mulder asked. "Care to share details?"

Melissa laughed slightly. "Not here."

Out of the corner of his eye, Mulder saw Ramesh maneuver towards their table with a basket. "Here's your naan," he said, setting the basket between Mulder and Melissa. "And your dinners should be out shortly."

"Thanks," Mulder said. As Ramesh turned around, Mulder added, "Say, Ramesh?"

"Yes, Fox."

"Do you know anything about Melissa being bad?"

"Fox!" Melissa said, pretending to sound embarrassed.

"She is a paragon of virtue, as far as I know. See no evil, and all that."

After Ramesh turned back around and went back to the kitchen, Melissa asked, "And what did you want to find out?"

"I dunno. I guess that's what siblings are for."

"Does that mean you want to ask me about Dana, or ask Dana about me?"

"I can go either way."

As they progressed through veg vindaloo, aloo gobi, and garlic naan, Melissa recounted some anecdotes about her sister for Mulder. With previously unacknowledged interest, he listened attentively to Melissa's stories about the Scully family and a younger Dana. Through them, he vicariously lived in a household with numerous siblings, as well as parents whose marriage was not torn asunder after the loss of their only other child.

As dinner wound down, Melissa's stories moved away from their years under the same roof, and she started telling Mulder about the men Scully saw as she progressed through medical school and started her career.

"Not very many," Melissa pointed out, "but the ones she did find were usually quite a few years older than her." Mulder recognized one of them, proferring the last name "Willis" when she mentioned someone named Jack. Although he already knew that story, Mulder only told Melissa that he knew Jack Willis had gotten killed in a bank robbery. Despite Melissa's beliefs, he remained reticent about sharing the extraordinary nature of what had really happened.

Noticing the empty plates and basket of naan, Ramesh came up to them. "Will there be anything else?" he asked.

"That's all for me," Mulder replied. "But the veg vindaloo was excellent."

"Thank you," Ramesh said.

"Just the check, please," Melissa added.

"Will sir or madam be getting it?"

"Here," Melissa said.

Reaching into his apron, Ramesh handed the small bifold binder containing the bill to Melissa. "There you go."

As he started grabbing the plates, Melissa opened the binder. Mulder noticed a look of shock on Melissa's face. She then turned to Ramesh. "Oh, Ramesh. You didn't have to..."

"It's all right, Melissa," he replied. "I can do this every so often. You are a customer, yes, but also a friend."

"That's very sweet of you."

"Under the circumstances, it seemed appropriate." After a pause, he added, "Besides, I think you might have gotten me a new customer."

Mulder smiled. "Can I be your friend, too?"

"You already are," Ramesh replied. "But, I would suggest introducing another friend of yours to this place."

"The people I know don't like to go out very much," Mulder said.

"I can think of someone who might appreciate it," Melissa pointed out. "Once she gets out of the hospital."

Ramesh leaned in towards Mulder. "Listen to the lady," he said. "She has your best interests in mind."

"Maybe I can take her here if we're working on a case..."

"Why not just celebrate having her back?" Ramesh asked.

"Well, I am glad to have her back..."

"I don't know what exactly you and Melissa's sister have been through. But it must have been profound enough for Melissa to take the time to bring you here." He held out his hand to Mulder. "I hope to see you here again, Fox Mulder."

Mulder shook hands with Ramesh. "I will. And I'll try to bring Dana around here sometime."

"Don't try," Ramesh said. "Please do." He let go of Mulder's hand before turning to Melissa, who got up and embraced him. "You take care, Melissa. Okay?"

"I will."

After letting go of Melissa, Ramesh added, "And make sure Fox does as well." Stepping back, he folded his hands in front of his chest, and bowed his head slightly. He turned to Melissa, who did the same. "Namasté," they said to each other. Ramesh turned to Mulder and did the same to him. Unfamiliar with the gesture, Mulder more or less followed. "Close enough," Ramesh said afterwards. "I hope both of you have a wonderful evening."

"You, too," Mulder said. Ramesh left them and made his way to the front counter. "I think I've heard of that. Isn't it a Hindu greeting? And did I do it right?"

"Yes, but you need to feel a greater sense of openness to do it properly," Melissa said.

"Openness? To what?"

"Submission. Not in the life-denying sense, but in a sense that affirms your feeling of awe before, and oneness with, the universe. And before other people, it's a kind of mutual submission."

Mulder leaned back in his chair. "That's quite a lot for after dinner."

"Not really. It might just make things less heavy for you."

Looking at his watch, Mulder said, "Wow! It's almost 8:30 already."

"What? You have a hot date tonight?"

"Well... I just thought you wanted to get some stuff for cleansing my apartment."

"Oh, that. They're open until 10 on Fridays."

As they started getting up, Melissa left some bills on the table. "So, what is this place called?" Mulder asked.

"You're not going to make some crack about it sounding New Age-y, are you?"

"No. Just curious."

"Song of the Earth. It's an independent store."

As they passed the counter, Ramesh looked up at them. "Good bye! See you both soon!"

Mulder and Melissa returned some pleasantries to Ramesh before leaving the warmth of the restaurant, continuing their trek on the cold November night.


	4. Das Lied von der Erde

"Are we there yet?" Mulder asked Melissa after they had walked several blocks. "I think the spiciness from the veg vindaloo wore off last block."

"You know that you can overcome a feeling of cold with meditation?"

"I'm very well aware of that, but a sidewalk in D.C. isn't the best place to get in the lotus position."

"You should try it for yourself sometime. I'm sure you've been on some assignments in the cold."

"Well, once in the Arctic, but we were mainly indoors. Besides, I don't plan on going to either of the poles anytime soon."

With bemused exasperation, Melissa said, "All right. Let me help." She got close to Mulder and wrapped an arm around him.

"What are you doing?"

"Sharing some warmth." She and Mulder looked at each other for a second, he with an expression of slight surprise. "This doesn't mean we're married."

"Why are you doing it, then?"

"Remember what I said to you earlier tonight, Fox? About you being my friend?"

"Yes."

"There's your answer."

"Maybe you could just lend me your coat and imagine it isn't cold out."

"Maybe you need to quit worrying about what Dana would think."

"No. It isn't that. It's just... well, you. And me. I..."

"Look, Fox. Even if you're afraid of how you might feel, I can tell that she means a lot to you."

"We just barely know each other. That's all."

"So, why did you come along with me?"

"Well, it seemed rude to say no."

"I guess. But you also could have stayed home, watching your... movie and eating a Hungry Man meal, before dropping off to sleep."

Mulder pulled away from Melissa. He turned towards her, standing in place. "Why do you have to keep mentioning what I was watching?"

Looking up at Mulder, she replied, "I only mentioned it just now."

"Yeah, well, you made a little comment at the apartment."

"Okay, I might have done that. But I don't care what you were watching."

"Well, you must care, because you mentioned it."

"Fox," Melissa said, reaching out and touching his arm. "Dana went through a lot. In a different sense, you have, too. I'm trying to reach out to you because of what Dana has told me about you." She paused. "I'm sure you get defensive because of the kind of work you do. But you don't have to get that way with me."

Mulder looked away.

"What I am worried about is you denying and hiding your feelings. Dana has told me how you have a hard time trusting anyone."

"I trust her," Mulder turned back to Melissa. "She's the only one I trust."

"Do you trust Mom?"

"Of course, but she isn't involved..."

"Do you trust me?"

"What are you getting at?"

"Do you trust me?"

"But you're not..."

"Yes or no, Fox."

"I suppose I do." Noticing that Melissa's face had softened into a somewhat saddened expression, he quickly added, "Look, Melissa. I didn't mean it that way. I just don't know you that well."

"Do you trust Ramesh?"

"Well, from what I know about him, I trust him." Mulder paused. "I could say the same about you too, actually."

"You trust more people than you want to acknowledge, Fox."

Mulder looked away again. "I want desperately to know that I can trust people. Your sister... Dana... has shown me how, and I'm not sure she knows it."

Melissa clasped Mulder's hand. "You need more people in your circle of trust. I am willing to be a part of that, if you'll just let me in."

Nodding, Mulder turned back to Melissa. Noticing wetness forming under his eyes, she wrapped both arms around him. Burying his head in her shoulder, Mulder croaked, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Fox. This is why I came to you tonight. I knew that you needed someone to talk to about everything. And I think, somewhere deep inside, you knew it, too."

She could feel Mulder nod his head. "Thanks for coming, Melissa. It means more than I wanted to acknowledge."

Melissa tightened her arms around Mulder. They stood that way for a minute, before being passed by another couple quickly glancing at them. Softly patting Mulder's back, she said, "We should probably go, Fox. We've been standing out here in the cold, and people might think we're engaging in PDA."

"PDA?" Mulder mumbled, his voice returning to normal. "What are we, still in high school?"

"Aren't you cold?" Melissa asked as she and Mulder let go of each other.

"Somehow, I had forgotten," he replied, looking around. "Kind of like you said before with meditation, maybe all it took was thinking about something pleasant."

"Like what?"

"Like a hug from a friend."

Melissa smiled back at the slight grin that formed on Mulder's face. She took his hand, and they continued on their journey.

* * *

Besides the rattling of a small bell attached to heavy wooden door of Song of the Earth, the first thing Mulder noticed upon entering the store was the strong scent of sandalwood incense.

"Wow!" he said to Melissa as the door shut. "Reminds me of some parties I attended at college."

"Some of the more sedate ones?"

"What? Who smokes sandalwood?"

A slim, middle-aged woman with long, pulled-back graying hair and round-framed glasses approached them. "Melissa!" she said, clasping Melissa's hand. "Lovely to see you again."

"Good to see you, too, Alma."

The woman regarded Mulder. "And who is your friend here?"

"This is Fox Mulder. Friend of the family's."

Mulder extended his hand to the woman. "You know Melissa, too? She seems to have quite the fan club."

"She has a good aura." With a firm grip, cool to the touch but warm in greeting, she took Mulder's hand and looked intently at him. "You do, too, but I sense some discord."

"Thanks. Uhhhh..." Mulder started.

"So sorry. My name is Alma. Alma Shindler."

"Alma. Or is it Ms. Shindler?"

"I prefer Alma. I don't like things too formal. I had enough of that in the corporate world." She looked around. "Of course, working in that environment enabled me to buy this shop."

Mulder looked at the few customers milling about. "You do good business, Alma?"

"Not a wide profit margin, but it's respectable enough and I feel that I'm doing people some good." Turning to Melissa, Alma added, "A yoga instructor has expressed interest in the space above the shop."

"You're renting it out? I guess that's less living space for you."

"Less space to store stuff I don't need," Alma pointed out. "I'm going to have someone come by to determine how it can be reconfigured so that people aren't walking through my living space. And how have you been?"

"Well, I'm more concerned about Dana."

"Oh. Dana. Is she all right?"

Melissa turned to Mulder. "I think she'll be fine."

Surveying Mulder's face, Alma asked him, "You know Dana then?"

"I'm her partner," Mulder said. "At work."

"Really?" Alma asked. "You are very close to her."

"It's just the nature of our work," Mulder replied.

Alma nodded, and turned to Melissa. "So, what brings you here tonight?"

"Fox's apartment got broken into..."

"Oh, how awful."

"I wanted to get a few things to help with cleansing."

"I tried telling her that some rags and Clorox might do the job," Mulder interjected.

Smiling at both of them, Alma said, "I think I know what you need. If you could come with me, Melissa, I have a few things that might help."

"What about me?" Mulder asked.

"Feel free to look around," Alma replied. "We'll just be a few minutes."

Mulder's face took on a slightly puzzled expression. "Okay," he said gamely, watching as Alma and Melissa went to another area of the store.

* * *

Left to his own devices, Mulder took in the "New Age" paraphernalia available at Song of the Earth. The phrase always seemed a bit of a misnomer to Mulder, especially since it also encompassed many well-established non-Western religions, as well as home-brewed amalgamations of various pantheistic religions.

As he wandered about, Mulder encountered a regiment of small dark green and red Buddhas on a shelf. Some fat and jolly, some skinny and serene, not too far from six-armed gods and goddesses engaged in an eternally frozen dance. A much larger skinny Buddha, obviously the showpiece of the whole store, sat in a corner next to a fountain one could take home for $600. The Buddha could go home for $1,000 more. Just behind the Buddha's serenely smiling head, the terra cotta face of a Green Man seemed to laugh at Mulder. Next to that, he found a rack of books that covered a potpourri of religions that fell under the "New Age" category.

Mulder briefly flipped through an emerald green copy of a book on Wicca, but returned it when he happened to see a treatise on the Raelians. Despite his own beliefs about extraterrestrials, he read the introduction with bemusement. He had known of the Raelians already, believing that they aided in rendering ridiculous the idea of the existence of extraterrestrials.

Several minutes into Mulder's perusing, Melissa came up to him. She held a large paper sack. "Raelians?"

Somewhat startled, Mulder asked, "You done already?"

"Yes." After looking at the backside of the cover for a few moments, she added, "Worshipping aliens? Talk about 'out there.'"

Returning the book to the rack, Mulder said, "I don't think worshipping aliens is a good idea."

Melissa laughed out loud. "That conjures up some images."

As they started walking away from the book rack, Mulder said, "Speaking of which, did you know that someone went to a Raelian retreat a few years ago and taped... certain practices?"

"Worship practices?"

"You could say that."

Melissa turned to Alma as they passed the cash register. "Thanks, Alma."

"You're welcome Melissa." After a pause, Alma added, "Good to meet you, Fox."

"Same here," Mulder said as he and Melissa walked to the door.

When they opened the door, Alma added, "Enjoy the gift, too."

"Okay," Melissa said.

As they returned to the cold Washington D.C. night, with Song of the Earth's door shutting behind them, Mulder asked Melissa, "A gift?"

"Yes," Melissa replied, stopping to pull a small bottle out of a bag. "Something called Brangäne's Number Nine."

Mulder took the bottle from Melissa and examined it. "Not much to it. I guess Alma's giving out samples?"

Melissa grabbed the bottle back, returning it to the bag. "She said it's how the bottle comes packaged."

"Some kind of special brew, I guess."

"She said that we should try it, after the cleansing."

As they re-commenced walking, Mulder added, "Well, I'm game. I just hope that the residual sandalwood smell doesn't ruin my palate."


	5. O Sink Hernieder

**Apartment 42  
10:49 P.M.**

Mulder stared at the tableau Melissa had set up on his coffee table. A bowl continued to emit smoke, a white candle slowly burned next to it.

"So, now what?" he asked, leaning forward from the edge of his couch.

"We wait until the contents of the bowl have completely burned out," Melissa replied. "Then we sprinkle the ashes outside."

"What's that supposed to do?"

"We're returning what we have taken from the Earth."

Mulder nodded blankly.

Melissa settled next to Mulder on the couch. "You need to believe that it will work, Fox."

"I want to believe it."

Melissa rested a hand on Mulder's shoulder. "Why can't you just believe in this?"

"It's very hard." Mulder turned to Melissa. "You know, your sister would probably have a harder time with this than me."

"She doesn't want to face the powers she might have."

"Why's that?"

"She doesn't want to lose control."

The smoke continued to dissipate. "Shall we try the wine Ms. Shindler gave you?" Mulder asked, heading towards the kitchen. "At least it doesn't require chilling." Opening a cupboard and pulling out some plastic cups, he added, "I don't have company over much, so I'm short on wine glasses."

Melissa reached towards the table and picked up the bowl. "It is done." Standing up, she turned to Mulder. "We must finish the ritual outside."

"We were just out there an hour ago." Mulder asked. "It's probably dropped a few degrees."

Melissa smiled slightly. "If there's one thing I've figured out about you, Fox, it's that you're practical when you shouldn't be."

* * *

After finishing the ritual, Mulder and Melissa gathered near the sink. After peeling the foil from the top of the bottle of Brangane's Number Nine, Mulder looked with bemusement at cap. "I'm not connoisseur, but c'mon. A screw cap?"

"Some people swear by boxed wine, too."

Twisting off the top, Mulder said, "Yeah, but at least you're not misled by fancy packaging."

"How do you even know it's wine? Maybe it's some other drink."

Mulder sniffed the top after removing the cap. "Doesn't smell like any wine I've ever had."

Melissa took the bottle. "Maybe it's mead, or something else."

"Something else is right. Some kind of fruit, I'd guess."

Holding the bottle under her nose, Melissa said, "Jasmine. Very light, sweet scent."

"Anything else you can detect?"

Melissa shook her head. "I suppose we'll have to drink it."

Mulder nodded. "May I do the honors?"

Nodding, Melissa offered her cup to Mulder. As he filled it, Mulder said, "I haven't been to a wine tasting in a while. I always wondered, though, where they come up with the descriptions of the smells."

Swirling and contemplating the sparkling liquid in her cup, Melissa said, "There's a logical explanation to it."

"Oh, really? It isn't somebody making up stuff?" Mulder poured a cup for himself.

"A wine gets its flavor from whatever grows around its grapes. So, if someone says that a wine tastes like berries, there's likely some growing nearby. Very scientific, really."

"You're beginning to sound like your sister." Mulder raised his glass. "_Prosit_."

"_Prosit_." Their cups clunked. After they each took a sip, Melissa asked, "Is that a toast?"

"It's German. Roughly, to one's health." Mulder looked at the cup. "This is like no wine I've had before. Very sweet."

"Maybe some saccaharine was growing nearby." Melissa moved her eyes from the wine to Mulder. "I still like it, though."

"Me, too. I can't explain it."

Mulder looked at Melissa. They looked at each other for a few seconds.

"To Dana's health?" Melissa finally asked.

"Of course."

Both of them took another sip from their cups, continuing to gaze at each other.

"She's in both of our hearts, Fox. For you, more than you realize."

"I know she is," Mulder replied.

The wine was so good, and Mulder's formerly dilapidated abode so safe now.

They drank of the drink again.

* * *

How many drinks of the drink they took?

Another toast.

To their friendship.

New to him.

Whom could he trust?

He trusted her.

As he trusted his sister.

More than he wanted.

He needed to.

He wanted to.

He ached to trust.

* * *

She looked upon him.

Smiles of gratitude.

Deeper than she thought.

She knew he loved her sister.

The ways she could not.

But what of her?

How many drinks of the drink they took?

They knew not.

Enfolded in the transfigured realm.

Of night.

And banished was the day.

They drifted towards slumber.

Loftily heavy.

Supreme Bliss

Awaited.


	6. In des Welt Atems

_As he was the day he was born, he waited_

_To see her as she was the day she was born_

_The moon agape, hovering in the sky_

_Reflecting on the nameless ocean_

_Lapping the rocks upon which he sat_

_With gentle force_

_The flicker of torchfires reflecting on his face_

_The eternal roar of the great waters falling softly upon his ears_

_As he watched her figure swaddled in red veils_

_Writhing with languorous precision_

_On her feet_

_Her back_

_Her belly_

_The red slowly giving way to red_

_And alabaster_

_Flesh to his flesh_

_Flesh to her flesh_

_Bound together in undulating serenity_

_In the surging swell_

_The great ocean's waves_

_That could not quench their veins_

_Filled with fire_

_Blessedly echoing_

_Heart throbbing into heart_

_Spine pulsing into spine_

_Limb twining around limb_

_Eyes shutting to see_

_She became he_

_He became she_

_She no longer he_

_He no longer she_

_In the vast wave_

_Of the world's breath_

_They surfed the cosmos_

_New mysteries unveiled before them_

_Now constellations among the multitude_

_Of fiery stars_

_The universe surging through them_

_In an everflowing stream_

_Of cosmic ecstasy_


	7. Somethign I Can Feel

His reverie long over, Mulder gradually re-emerged into consciousness on his couch, where he typically ended up dozing most nights before awakening to a less intense form of exhaustion. On this morning, he felt exhaustion of a different kind. One tempered by a sense of well-being and paradoxical vigor. Mulder procrastinated opening his eyes, knowing that it would banish the spell of wondrous dreams that had somehow overtaken his sleep the previous night.

The gentle shutting of the main door of his apartment piqued his curiosity, as did the scents of fresh pastries and hot beverages. "Mmmm. Donuts," Mulder mumbled.

"Danishes, actually. From Kirchopf's Café."

"Morning, Missy," he said contentedly, smiling as he opened his eyes.

Melissa returned the smile. "Good morning."

Surveying his apartment, Mulder asked, "What time is it?"

Melissa set the sack and cupholder on the coffee table. "Almost 9:30. I woke up around 8:00, and got some breakfast."

Mulder attempted an upright position. "That late, huh?"

"You were completely out of it. It's like you hadn't slept in a while."

"I haven't been able to get a decent night's rest in years. But last night, it was like I was in a different world. Actually, I think that's what I dreamt."

Melissa nodded. "That world consisted of your true feelings."

"How do you know?" Mulder asked with guarded surprise.

"I had that kind of dream myself. Not to get too detailed, but I dreamt that I was… with someone. Someone I met out in California, a few years ago while I was finding myself."

"Who was it?"

"Nobody you would know. What about you?"

Turning away from Melissa, Mulder contemplated the sack of danishes and attempted a casual response. "Someone from work."

Melissa nodded.

"Let's see," Mulder began, looking into the sack. "Cream cheese. Blueberry. Strawberry. Any preference?"

"No. I'm sure you like strawberry, though."

"Yeah." Mulder reached into the bag. "It's like you can read my mind." He handed the bag to Melissa. "You wanna split one of the other ones?"

"Would I know this person from work?"

A short, nervous laugh emitted from Mulder, setting the bag down in from of Melissa. "What are the odds? The Bureau's a big agency."

"I'm serious, Fox."

"For what? You didn't tell me about your friend from California."

"Yes, but I know at least one person you work with. Someone with whom you have worked very closely over the past few years."

Melissa continued to gaze at Mulder, whose sheepishly bemused grin faded. Weakly, he finally said, "It was just a dream."

"Dreams tell us important truths."

"So, what do you want me to say?" Mulder asked with a tinge of defensiveness. "That I dreamt that I did it with your sister?"

Shocked, but not surprised by Mulder's cutting tongue, Melissa's deep gaze transformed into a sharp glare. "If you want to make it sound like an empty act of hostility, that's fine."

"I'm not being hostile…"

"That's how you said it. That you did it with my sister."

"What do you want me to say? That's what happened."

"No, it didn't."

Agape, Mulder stared at Melissa for a few moments. "So, what, are you in denial now?"

"Dammit, Fox. No. You don't understand what I'm getting at."

"So, what is it? Are you going to tell your family about me?"

"Can you be quiet for a few moments? Be still?"

"What?"

"Be still," Melissa repeated.

"Why?" Mulder asked, further down his path of confusion.

Melissa waited for Mulder's agitation to wind down before she started talking again.

"The drink. Brangane's Number Nine. It made us have those dreams. I think Alma knew that it would have some kind of effect. It manipulated our dreams, so that we could unite with the person we were meant to be with."

"Your sister and I are work partners."

"At least subconsciously, the attraction is there. Whether or not you're aware of it."

"So, we should quit the Bureau? Because that's the only way that would ever happen."

"What I mean is, acknowledging it. You had an opportunity last night to do so. We both did, with different people. Mine was among the most vivid dreams I've ever had. As I'm sure yours was, too."

Mulder nodded in a non-committal manner.

Melissa settled on the sofa next to Mulder. "Fox, I didn't mean to make you upset. I just wanted you to be honest with me, and with yourself. You care for my sister very much. And, as I said last night, probably more than you want to acknowledge."

"I don't want to jeopardize everything we've built, Melissa," Mulder said quietly, shaking his head. "Your sister… Dana and I, we've developed a deep professional bond and trust. I don't want to destroy it with this."

"As you said, it was only a dream. But it is also a guide to acknowledging the depth of your caring for her. It won't destroy anything."

"It was so intense," Mulder exhaled. "But it wasn't what you'd think."

"I understand, Fox. That's why I got upset about what you said earlier, because I knew there was more to it than that."

"I just wasn't expecting…"

"It's alright," Melissa said. "Right now, let's have some danishes. I don't want to go out again to get some fresh ones."

As Mulder and Melissa progressed through breakfast, she went into further detail about the woman from her dream, and began sorting aloud the advantages and disadvantages of going back to California. Mulder knew he couldn't guide her with that, so he simply listened to Melissa and asked her a few questions to carry on the conversation.

With the coffee and pastries long gone, Melissa left Mulder's apartment around noon. She had begun leaning towards a return to California, but still felt some guilt about the prospect of leaving her mother to herself. Leaning in Mulder's doorway, she said, "With Dad gone, and Dana coming close to death, I think Mom needs some kind of stabilizing force. At least for a while. Maybe another year or so."

"You can't put your life on hold for that, though," Mulder said.

"I don't know. I somehow feel that I have work to do here. Maybe when the time's right, I'll go back."

"How will you know?"

Melissa shrugged. "Maybe I won't. Things work out that way, too."

"Well, I hope whatever decision you make is the right one," Mulder said.

"I know." She stared at Mulder for a moment, then opened her arms. "Take care, Fox."

Embracing Melissa, Mulder said, "You, too. Thanks for everything."

Melissa held Mulder more tightly. "You take care of my sister, all right? Whatever happens?"

"I will. I can promise you of that."

"I know you will. And I know you're a good man, Fox. No matter what you or anyone else might think." She turned to walk down the hall, but looked back at Mulder one last time. "There are many things you should let go. Never let go of that."

* * *

Mulder made another trip to Kirchopf's by himself, this time for lunch at around 2:00. Unlike his usual _modus operandi _with getting food out, especially as a solo customer, he decided to stay in the café. As he did at Namaste, Mulder grokked its low-lit casual elegance. Customers conversing among themselves, or quietly hunching over diverse reading materials. Coffee beans grinding and percolating. Classic jazz soothing and electrifying the atmosphere. For once, Mulder allowed himself to enjoy one of many ways of life that he committed himself to protecting. Even more so when he realized how close it could come to disappearing forever, at the hands of the same organization that took away two of the people whom he cared about most.

But he couldn't think about that right now. He had already been doing so for a long time. For the time being, he could just enjoy being among other people, progressing mindfully through a lunch of Meditteranean pesto Panini. A vegetarian sandwich, as Melissa's admonitions about eating animal flesh remained fresh in his mind. On the side, Kettle chips, Fuji apple, and a white mocha, with a chocolate chip muffin for after.

The outside world invaded when an electronic chirping began to emit from his jacket. He debated whether to check it, but decided to do so… just in case.

Recognizing the number as belonging to Scully, Mulder set aside the chips and flipped the phone open. "This is Mulder."

"Mulder? It's me."

His face softening into a gentle smile, Mulder said, "Scully? You back on duty? Is the Flukeman back?"

"I was discharged today."

"You were? But I thought the doctors wanted you to take a few more days of bed rest."

"They did. But they seemed to think I was well enough to leave today. I wasn't expecting it, and they weren't, either."

"Do you feel any better?"

"Amazingly, yes. I woke up this morning with… I don't know. This profound sense of well-being. Almost euphoria. Something I'd never felt before. The doctors checked my vitals, too, and determined that they were in line with how I was feeling."

With some hesitation, Mulder asked, "Any ideas what might have happened?"

Scully sighed. "I'll just say that… I'm a scientist. But knowing that people care deeply for you can help substantially in the process of recovering from illness. I'm certain that your concern for me is what helped with my own recovery."

Although he knew Scully couldn't see him, Mulder nodded. "How much?"

"More than you'll ever know."

Mulder nodded again, his smile softening and his eyes tightening to hold back the gently stinging moistness that had begun forming around them. "I think I do." He hesitated before addressing her again. "Dana."

Scully heard Mulder sniffle over the phone. "Oh, Mulder. It's all right."

"Call me Fox? At least until we get back to work again?"

Somewhere between bemused and profoundly touched, Scully smiled back into the phone. "Oh, all right. Fox."

"Yeah. Say. Ummm…"

"Yes?"

"Would you like some company tonight? Like, what I mean is, not in the sense of…"

"I know what you mean. And, yes, I would."

"Really?"

"Well, my original plan was a couple night bedrest, until the doctors said that I could go. What were you thinking of?"

"Well, I know of a nice Indian place not too far from where I live."

"Oh, yes. Melissa told me that she took you there last night."

Somewhat taken aback, Mulder asked, "She did?"

"Yes. She said she thought she'd stop by, make sure you were okay after everything."

"What else did she tell you?" Mulder asked, his tone of voice somewhat more guarded.

"That was pretty well it. She said that you had some great conversation about things. I know you share an interest in the unknown, even if your approaches to them are different."

"Oh."

"Anything else I should know about?"

"No." Mulder paused, then repeated, "No. Everything was fine."

"So, this restaurant. We go there, what time? And then maybe go back to my place to watch a movie?"

"Yeah. Namaste. At Seven. Did you have something in mind for a movie?"

"I'll give you a hint. It came out in 1958, and it stars Kim Novak and James Stewart."

"Oh…" Mulder trailed off. "I'm afraid my movie trivia is a little rusty. At least in most genres. But I'm sure you know that."

"Which genres you know well?"

"Oh, _et tu_ Dana?"

Scully smiled warmly, almost as if Mulder were there with her. "Okay. I'll give you a hint. It isn't the one with witches."

"Huh?"

"_Bell, Book, and Candle_. You haven't heard of that one?"

"No."

"James Stewart plays a guy named 'Shep,' of all things."

"Are you trying to tell me something?"

"Anyway, Kim Novak plays a witch who…"

"Wait, what's her name? 'Melinda?' 'Diana?'"

"I don't remember."

"Okay. So what is the selection tonight?"

"_Vertigo_. My favorite Hitchcock film. I always watch it as a way of de-stressing."

"Yeah. I've never seen it myself, but it sounds a bit less stressful than _Psycho_. That is, unless you just take baths."

Scully smirked. "All right. Namaste, followed by _Vertigo_. It's a date then."

"In a manner of speaking, of course," Mulder said.

"Of course. Bye, Fox."

"Bye, Dana."

After Mulder closed the phone, he stared at it for a few moments.

_Is this really a date? _

_Was last night?_

* * *

_Ist ein Traum, kann nicht wirklich sein_  
_dass wir zwei beieinander sein_  
_beieinand für alle Zeit  
und Ewigkeit!_


End file.
